Discover castles, cities, coast and countryside in North East England

17th February 2026

From city to coast, harbour to heartland North East England offers a welcome and friendliness to visiting groups like no other destination in the UK.

With more castles than any other region in England; two UNESCO World Heritage Sites and miles of stunning coastline, North East England has everything you need to deliver new and exciting itineraries for your clients.

This year the North East has joined forces to bring a delegation to The British Travel Trade Show to promote the region’s unique offer for the travel trade.

The Destination North East England Stand will showcase partners Visit County Durham; NewcastleGateshead Initiative and Visit Northumberland alongside attractions Alnwick Castle; The Alnwick Garden; Beamish: The Living Museum of the North; Kynren; The Auckland Project; Ad Gefrin and Hilton Hotel Sunderland.

Come and see if you want to discuss city break packages with three exciting cities to choose from including:

• Newcastle with its thriving shopping scene, history and heritage and busy Quayside area full of restaurants and bars as well as neighbouring Gateshead home to art, culture and music venues bringing top names from around the world.
• Durham, a place of outstanding architecture, history and culture as well winding cobbled streets hiding food and retail gems
• Sunderland, a city by the coast with fantastic group-friendly accommodation and attractions.

The North East offers exciting bookable experiences ranging from whisky tours at Ad Gefrin to reliving the epic tale of England at Kynren, the largest outdoor live theatre production in the UK.

We’re also home to some of the UK’s most inspiring gardens including The Alnwick Garden, the brainchild of the Duchess of Northumberland and world-famous open-air museum Beamish, which takes groups on a journey through time telling the story of the North East from the 1900s to 1950s.

Set-jetting groups will also enjoy exploring the locations from some of their favourite films and TV shows set in the North East, from Downton Abbey at Beamish to Harry Potter at Alnwick Castle as well as the more recent Danny Boyle epic 28 Years Later, shot at locations across the region.

If they want to feel like royalty for the day, a visit to one of the many castles is a must whether it’s Newcastle Castle, which gave the city its name, or Alnwick Castle, still the home of the Duke and Duchess of Northumberland. Add in a visit to an actual palace at Auckland Palace, part of The Auckland project, which also boasts stunning gardens and the UK’s first gallery dedicated to Spanish Art.

Come and see us at stand B4 to discuss planning your next itinerary to North East England.

For more information visit the website.